What Lies Beneath
by Child Of Calypso
Summary: Lydia crossed her legs and eyed Derek from across the long table. "Before I can release this...particular species to your care Deputy Hale you must understand the terms of agreement and relay them to Sheriff Stilinski." Derek nodded, though knew he knew the moment he had seen the...creature that he had no intention of giving it to The Sheriff and he got the feeling that Ms. Martin
1. Chapter 1

Eichen House exotic emporium was known for selling the most exotic and often times illegal animals and pets in the world. So when The Sheriff told him that his late wife had ordered something from the pet store he was of course a bit suspicious. There had been alot of odd deaths and mishaps linked back to the shop but nothing could ever really legally stick due to the legally binding documents and miles of red tape the shop made its costumers sign for even a consultation.

But Derek understood, this was something from The Sheriff's late wife. It meant more than anyone would ever know. she and his son Stiles had been run off the road while driving back from a beach trip. The car had flipped over into the ocean and had to be dredged up. Stiles' body had never been discovered. The Sheriff had never really been the same.

so if this last gift from Claudia could maybe bring some of the spark back to his life then Derek was all for it.

"Are you sure you wanna go this alone?" asked Parrish leaning into the window of Derek's car.

"You know that place has had some mess a mile along attached to it."

"I'll be fine Parrish. Keep the old man occupied while I'm gone though. He' seems pretty anxious sense getting the call about whatever Claudia ordered at this shop." said Derek slipping on his sunglasses.

Deputy Parrish sighed and nodded tapping the hood of the car before stepping back to allow Derek to drive off.

The Sheriff wasn't the only one who had been anxious though. Derek had been just as nervous about all of this. Claudia had been like a mother to him and Stiles... well he had watched Stiles grow up from the clumsy little kid he was into a pretty smart teenager, clever,quick witted, and only slightly annoying... Derek had.. well his feeling didn't really matter anymore. Stiles was gone.

Eichen House was a big single story building tucked away downtown between what had once been psychiatric ward of the same name and old animal clinic. it had been bought out by a man named Deaton but no one had seen or heard from him in years. It was now run by a young woman no older than Parrish. She seemed to be the figure head for the shop, the one who handled all the costumers as well as the face that was usually seen in the courtrooms when weird things happened that involved the shop if they even actually went to court that was. It was odd the amount of strange occurrences and crime that Eichen house had been involved in and how it had avoided almost all criminalization.

There had been the case with one Chris Argent who had ordered a Jaguar from the shop supposedly and had been found torn to pieces a month later, when the shop had been visited the Lydia Martin, the young woman who ran the shop, had taken the detective assigned to the case through all the legal documentation that had been signed by Chris Argent that pretty much nullified the shop of any legal responsibility. Even stranger, when the detective had asked to see the jaguar in question, Ms. Martin had taken him to a small room and pulled back a curtain to reveal a stone statue of a jaguar of obsidian with crush sapphire forming its spots and emerald

serving as eyes.

There had been another case with an older man named Lehey who had ordered a rare breed of Rabbit from the shop after the death of his son. Nearly three weeks later the police had been called to handled a rabbit infestation at the man's property where it came to light that he had been abusing the rabbit he had gotten from the shop. Resulting in the thing going into some kind of breeding frenzy. Further investigation revealed that he had been abusing his son as well and was responsible for his death. The strangest thing about that case was that the moment this information came to light all the crazed rabid rabbits died... apparently from some disease the original parent had been carrying. Lydia Martin had shown up to claim the body of the original rabbit and once again the Eichen house avoided any really legal repercussions.

with all this information on hand Derek made sure to pack his gun and keep his wits about him as he made his way into the shop. the place was dimly lit and smelled of some kind of strong perfume or most likely incense by the hazy smoke hanging the place. it was sticky sweet and burned his eyes slightly.

"welcome. How may I help you...oh Deputy Hale. Nice of you to stop by." said a voice from the haze. Lydia Martin slowly emerged from the fog of the place. she was beautiful with long strawberry blond hair that rested on her shoulder in well maintained waves, her lips were painted a glittering pink and she wore a dark blue off the shoulder blouse tucked into a blue, grey and red plaid puffy skirt and a pair of strappy black pumps with red heels. she seemed so young to Derek, but then again most people did thought he was only in his late 20's himself. Though she seemed young her eyes held something old..very old.

"Hello Ms. Martin." Derek said taking off his sunglasses and tucking them into his jacket pocket.

"Oh please.. call me Lydia. How can I help you today." said Lydia turning on her heels and beckoning Derek to fallow her int what he assumed was the lobby.

"I'm actually here to pick up something for the sheriff. He got a letter saying that the purchase his late wife had ordered was ready?"

Lydia stopped and tapped her foot, her finger twirling in her hair for a moment then she nodded heading off to collect something and came back with pieces of paper.

Yes, a rare species of fish was ordered by Claudia Stilinski before her death. We weren't sure if Mr. Stilinski would still want it. According to her request it was to be an anniversary present. its sad really. poor Claudia."

"And Stiles too." said Derek.

"oh yes... we mustn't forget Stiles." said Lydia but there was no sadness in her eyes.

"Well the fish is ready. Come this way."

Derek fallowed Lydia deep into the shop. He could hear the sound of a magnitude of animals that grew softly louder as they went deeper into the shop. the lace was really too haze to make out the type of creatures that were on display but he could see their gleaming eyes from their enclosures and cages that darted the place, some hanging from the ceiling, others behind panes of glass in dimply lit tanks.

Finally they came to a large room with what appeared to be a huge glass orb secured by what appeared to be some kind of gnarled tree of gold, the branches cradling the orb, with spiraling and entwining smaller branches wrapping themselves around it. The orb was filled to the brim with water and tall sea grasses and sea fans grew from the bottom obscuring whatever could be living in the tank though Derek noted small silvery fish darting about inside.

"So is it one of the these little guys? Seems like alot to go through for a small fish." said Derek walking up and tapping the glass.

"Don't do that! The fish don't like it!" said Lydia swatting away his hand before he could do it again.

" and no, the silver fish are there to keep him Company. Its quite a rare breed really. Not many of them left in the wild I'm sorry to say."she said walking around to the other side of the huge fish tank.

"How big is this thing? I have no idea how I'm gonna transfer a shark or barracuda."

Lydia stood next to a series of steps leading up to the top of the tank and gestured for him to walk. Derek did as he was asked still worrying about having to cart a shark or something out of this place.

"No its not a shark or barracuda but he is quite large I suppose. We will deliver him to the whatever address is written down upon the legal documents"

Derek looking over the rim of the huge tank but saw nothing but the sea grass and fans that took up most of the water.

Then suddenly something swam through the green sting-like grass. A flash of golden red and garnet with a pearly sheen and the glimpse of a large fin nothing like any on a fish he had ever seen.

He leaned further over the edge and nearly screamed. peering up at him through the green foliage was a heart shaped face with a slightly button nose and hazel almost red eyes.

"Stiles!"


	2. Chapter 2

Derek wasn't imagining this. He had watched that face grow up. Seen it covered in mud and scrunched up I hysterical laughter. He has seen that face leaning out the window of Claudia ' s car as they drove off to the beach. She would have known that face anywhere. That was Stiles...but how?  
"Stiles! Stiles give me your hand so I can pull you out of there. We've been so worried. Your dad is gonna shit a brick." Derek cried making leaning over to reach for the boy. With a gentle but strong grip a delicate hand pulled Derek back. He turned to see Lydia standing on the small landing next to him.  
"I believe you are mistaken. Take a closer look" she said holding out a small lamp over the water.  
Derek stared after the lamp light down into the water. It bounce off of the gleaming red and garnet scales and fin he had seen flash by before but only as he followed the length of the tail up he was met with pale almost bony hips leading up to a pale torso and the unblinking eyes of Stiles.  
He turned on Lydia grabbing her by the shoulders and shaking her.  
"What is this some kind of game! Is that some kind of costume!" He growled, thick eyebrows knitting together  
"That is stiles Stilinski! The boy we have all thought drowned a few months ago! His father has been a wreck and you've been keeping him here all this time!"  
Lydia raised a delicate eyebrows before slowly prying Derek's fingers off her then smoothing down her blouse.  
"The species you are looking g is called HomoSirena. I believe the more accepted and commonly used name would be mermaid. Yes I must say when I found him beached ashore that full moon night I was shocked by his resemblance to Stiles as well but the idea that this is stiles is too far fetched even for me."  
Derek watched Lydia lean over the edge of the tank and the creature wearing stiles face swim up to her.  
"I have no clue, who he is though. See he seems to have lost his memory." She cooed to the creature  
Derek watched the mer-Man stared adoringly at Lydia much as he used to do.  
"That is Stiles Stilinski. I'd know that face anywhere. Look there along the left side of his jaw, that scar. I was there when he got that during lacrosse. Did you say you found him on a full moon night? It was a full moon when the car went off the rails into the water."

Lydia studied stiles for a moment then Derek.  
"Perhaps. In most myths about mermaids they live in a kingdom under the sea and sometimes they come to land to mingle with humans and sometimes they forget what they were and live human lives. Other myths say mermaids are the spirit of virgins who have died at sea. Perhaps he is one of these. Maybe when he gets his memory back we will find that he is indeed stiles and he will be able to tell us what happened that night of the crash."  
Derek watched as the creature dove gracefully and vanished among the tall sea grass.

Derek fallowed Lydia back to the front of the store and back into the sitting room. She gestured for him to sit at the long table with is arrangement of beautiful blood red wild flowers. He slowly took a seat his mind still reeling from what he had seen. "Its really him isn't it?" he said more to himself than to Lydia  
"As I said. It could very well be Stiles, whether his ghost reformed by the sea or maybe he was always as we saw him and he simply forgot. or it could simply be a beautiful rare fish that simply looks like Stiles. who's to know? only he can truly tell us whether he is or is not stiles."  
"But how would Claudia have known to send him to the Sheriff?" Derek quizzed running his fingers though his hair eyebrows still set in their brooding slump. "Claudia's order was placed for the rarest fish we could acquire. The creature I showed you was just that. That's why it took us til just now to call about the order. though as I said when I came across the creature and noticed how much he looked like Stiles even I took pause as to whether this should be the fish, but the contract is legally binding. She wanted the rarest fish in our shop the moment we had it and the creature...Stiles is the rarest fish in our possession."  
Derek still had so many questions. Had the strangest of all the stories surrounding Eichen House been true? what was behind this place, some form of black magic dealing in mythical creatures. How had Stiles gotten like that. had Claudia been a mermaid too? if they hadn't found her body in the car would there have been two creatures in that huge fishbowl wearing the faces of two people who supposed to be dead? Lydia dropped a folder on the table in front of him, drawing his attention back to the matter at hand.  
"I will need you to sign this contract. Normally it would be the recipient of the item who signs but i understand that the sheriff can not do that which is why he sent you. So lets just say you are signing under the condition that you will inform him about the.. conditions of this purchase." said Lydia sitting down across from Derek at the other end of the long table. "Conditions?" the deputy asked Derek looked over the contract but he truly didn't understand most of it till he came to the list. Three rules written in silvery blue ink on rather impressive stationery. Lydia crossed her legs and eyed Derek from across the long table. "Before I can release this...particular species to your care Deputy Hale you must understand the terms of agreement and relay them to Sheriff Stilinski." Derek nodded, though knew he knew the moment he had seen the...creature that he had no intention of giving it to The Sheriff and he got the feeling that Ms. Martin knew this.  
" First no one must see it. It must be kept out of sight at all times. Second it must be kept in fresh salt water and the water must be changed near daily. lastly and most importantly...you must never let it go hungry. In the event that any of these terms are ignored or breached Eichen House Exotic Emporium can not be held responsible for any consequences and you Derek will be." Derek nodded, shaking hands picking up the pen to sign the paper. Lydia's eyes never left him as he wrote his name down for recipient of the purchase by one Claudia Stilinski for one Sheriff John Stilinski. "I'm sure...The Sheriff... will be happy with his new...pet" Lydia said with flip of her strawberry blond hair and it felt to Derek like he had signed away something vital. like in signing this little piece of paper and knowing that he was indeed no going to take the sheriff anything from this place, that he had made some kind of deal for more than just this creature that wore the face of the boy he had once been falling in love with. Lydia closed the folder and smiled at Derek. when had she even moved to collect it? he still had to pen clutched desperately in his hands. had he been that lost in thought?  
"We will delver you your residence by the end of the day...I trust you have a pool of some kind to house the creature or should we give you a tank to use?" "um...yeah a tank would be uh perfect. at least until i can get the old pool cleaned out and altered for salt water." Lydia lead Derek out the front door and he was almost to his car when a thought crossed his mind "But what do I feed him!" he yelled turning around but the door to the shop was already closing behind Lydia, a final glimpse of strawberry blond waves all that answered him.


	3. Chapter 3

"A dead fish?" said The Sheriff with raised eyebrows. there was disappointment in his voice and it was like paper cuts around Derek's heart.  
"Yeah pretty rare one too but when I went back there apparently someone hand't been doing their job and the thing was just floating in the tank."he lied and each word stung and weighted on his tongue.  
"Well what would I have done with a fish anyway. Hmmph! Just like Claudia to give me something... something completely useless."  
Derek laughed patting John on the back but he could hear the pain and hurt in his voice even as he tried to laugh it off and appear unfazed.  
What was Derek thinking? How could he possible do this to the sheriff. Didn't he deserve to know that Claudia had made an order for a rare fish that turned out to looked a hell of a lot like Stiles form the waist up? That even if this thing wasn't actually his kid that it looked like him or would that hurt all the more if it turned out this wasn't really Stiles, just some hoax... a hoax that Derek had fallen for. Yes he knew it was wrong but he couldn't stop himself. He had something that he hadn't had while the Stiles had been life. Time alone with him. All the time in the world. Just him and Stiles and even if this thing wasn't really stiles it would do and he would be saving the sheriff heartbreak if it wasn't. he was helping... or so he had to tell himself over and over again.  
"Seems like a lot of trouble to go through for a fish." said Parrish sitting on the desk , arms crossed looking affronted that the sheriff's time had been wasted.  
"What kind of fish was it? maybe we can try to get the shop to find another one since it died on their watch."  
"Um, you know, I'm not sure. Didn't get a really good look at it. The Martin girl who runs the place whisked it away. um I'll go back and see if they would be willing to replace it but I'm not sure. The thing looked unlike any fish I had ever seen. Might be the last of its kind or not even worth the trouble."  
The Sheriff shook his head and Derek let out a mental sigh of relief.  
"Its fine. Don't need you bothering that girl or people seeing police there on a regular basis. I'll be fine guys I promise." said The Sheriff getting up from his desk and stretching.  
"Been talking with that new shrink. Your uncle uh Peter I think Derek. Been helping me through this a bit."

So that's who they had assigned to be John's doctor.  
His uncle Peter was a pretty famous psychiatrist and grief counselor, having helped Derek and his sisters after the fire that killed their entire family. He was good at his job...even if Derek always got the feeling that beneath that calm veneer and those perfect V neck shirts there was something dark and traitorous lurking. He remembered how his mother was always a bit wary of his uncle and never really left Derek alone with him for too long. The man had a way so speaking that got inside your head. which was truly perfect for the field of work he had chosen but still Derek didn't overly trust Peter, though he was glad The Sheriff was finally seeing someone about all this.  
though maybe he was the one that should be talking to a psychiatrist instead because what he had done was wrong on so many levels that he had to be insane.  
**************************************************************************************************************************************************

Derek set by the pool staring at the flash of garnet scales and mother of pearl translucence that was Stiles' tail as he swam lazily through the water. Derek had been watching him for hours. He couldn't tare his eyes away the moment he found him in the pool. He had come home to find him already in the saltwater pool Derek had prepared for him. they had even dropped off some of the silver fish that he had been sharing his tank with. Derek had tried to make the pool look and feel as much like what he assumed his natural habitat would be. he had installed sea grass and coral and lined the the entire pool with natural pebbles and stone. He filled the entire pool house with large floral bushes and palm trees the block the windows. Even though he knew no one would set foot on the old hale property, he didn't want to take the chances of Stiles being seen by anyone but him. He would just tell any one who asked why he was spending so much time there that he was finally getting round to those reservations he had been planning for so long.  
Derek watched Stiles swim gracefully in the deep end. chasing after the silver fish, catching them then letting them go before ducking back into the tall sea grass to hide and do the same thing all over again. He had never seen such graceful movements, especially not with Stiles. That just wasn't the word you used to describe the lanky, clumsily kid he had known,but this Stiles was all that and more.  
Derek studied him closely from afar amazed with all the things he found.  
Stiles' body was long and lithe like it had always been, the same collections of muscles from lacrosse but now slightly more defined and streamline. His eyes were the same honey brown they had always been but sometimes when the light hit them the wrong way, they turned just as blood red as the scales of his tail. The tail was something Derek studied as well. It was longer than Derek was sure stiles legs would have been making him 7-8.5 feet in length from head to fluke. The fluke or tail fin of tail resembled that of a dolphin but only in structure, the rest of it was very much like that of a fish...though like no fish Derek had ever seen. The scale melded seamlessly into the skin of his hips save for a line of them that grew up along his spine then fanned out, along his shoulder and neck, spattered about like freckles. The tail itself didn't bend where the knees of a human would be, but a bit lower and Stiles seemed to be able to bend and wrap the tail around things as well though not like a snake... more like and eel. The tail moved like that of a dolphin or whale when he swam.  
Stiles hands were strangely discolored, starting in the same garnet/blood red of his tail about half way up the forearm and darkening to almost black as they reached the fingers. There was shimmery almost translucent webbing between each finger and his nails were long and almost talon-like.  
Stiles hair was much the same way it had been the last time Derek saw him , or at least the same length. there seemed to a sheen over like the inside of a seashell, mother of pearl tint of blue and pink and pearl and bronze.  
all and all he was beautiful much the same way the original Stile shad been to Derek...but there was something off about this one. Something primal. Something that made Derek pull his feet from the water when Stiles swam too close or avert his gaze to avoid locking eyes as he was doing now.  
"Um I guess its time I feed you huh." Derek said standing up.  
"The lady at the other pet shop thought I was crazy when I kept asking what do large fish eat. she gave me a variety of things to try though."  
Derek tried the the shrimp first throwing a few into the water. the silver fish liked them but Stile ignored them completely laid out under water watching Derek.  
it unnerved him how little stiles seemed to move when doing this. even his tail was still.  
he tried a few live squid next only for them to swim off into the sea grass and still Stiles didn't move.  
next was a large Salmon. Stepping to the edge of the pool Derek dangled the fish in the air  
"Come one. There has to be something you like." he groaned but still stiles staid perfectly still.  
he sighed closing his eyes and rubbing his forehead.  
sudden;y there was a loud splash and Derek nearly screamed! Stiles had his the fish seized in his mouth, sharp needle like teeth only inches from Derek's hand.  
He quickly let go and Stiles darted way to the corner with the fish where Derek watched him swallow large chunks of it whole, scales, meat, bone and all. Derek's heart was pounding in his chest. he stumbled back words a big falling flat on his ass and just stared at Stiles who stared back intently, the light hitting his eyes the wrong way making them glow red. He was waiting...Derek reached into the bag from the shop and pulled out another salmon and threw it. Stiles arched his long body into the air perfectly and caught it in his mouth, giving Derek yet another glimpse of those sharp needle like teeth.  
How had he not noticed those before! Those things had been so close to his hand that if Stiles had been so incline he could have bitten Derek's fingers clean off . Derek had seen a documentary on sharks and every thing about stiles mouth was extremely shark like.  
he watched as Stiles tore into the second fish then turned to him.  
Did he want another one? How much would Derek have to feed him before he was full. How much do mermaids eat...and was fish all they ate? How much of Stiles nature was like that if most large predatory fish? Slowly he swam over the edge of the pool causing Derek to jerk his legs out of reach in fear. the hungry glint was gone from his eyes and he inclined his head...almost sweetly. Almost like Stiles had done a few times when he had caught Derek looking at him too long  
"Are... are you really Stiles... our Stiles?" Derek asked inching a bit closer to the edge but his legs still felt spring loaded, red to jump and run at the drop of a needle  
My Stiles?"  
The light caught Stiles eyes again, turning them glowing red and then he was gone , darting off below the water and into the safety of the sea grass.


End file.
